Performance Marketing Awards: the winners
On Tuesday night, the sixth annual Performance Marketing Awards was held in London, attended by more than 800 people and judged by Econsultancy Research Director Linus Gregoriadis, among others.
The event was previously known as the a4u Awards, but the name was changed to broaden the remit of the awards, allowing entrants from the various sub-channels of performance marketing, including social, mobile, email, search and display, not just just the affiliate sector.
Is Google selling leads in the UK?
Every so often a simple Google search reveals a hint at a new Google initiative.
In recent months we've seen various different types of ad extension formats and it seems that selling leads rather than clicks could be the next big push in Google's continuing search for revenue streams away from the simple click.
Peter Bell from Fuse Lead Marketing (@fuselead) recently alerted me to an interesting discovery which seems to have appeared over the last few weeks in the UK.
If you are signed into one of Google’s services (LeadPoint uses Google for email) you might stumble across a new type of ad extension in the top ranked ads – namely a way for the advertiser to capture your contact information and permission to contact you without clicking through.
Demand for digital marketing freelancers soars: trends
Hiring online freelancers for marketing roles and projects is a trend that has experienced significant growth over the last year.
We’ve seen a 106% increase in digital marketing jobs posted on Elance for the 12 months leading up to March 2012. And, the increase from UK businesses was even greater (124%).
There has also been a 215% increase in marketing jobs completed and a 188% increase in client spend.
In the first of a series of monthly posts, I'll look at more trends in digital marketing jobs...
How to survive the transition to digital direct response
The social media revolution was an over-hyped lie. Digital marketing is forcing marketing communications to evolve, not re-invent itself.
Mass media ideas that aren't working anymore (like branding) are winding down as "what works" is becoming increasingly evident: direct response marketing. Like it or not, whether you're a small business owner or a brand manager, surviving this evolution means embracing and practicing traditional direct response marketing.
Are digital marketing shows a waste of time?
We all attend in droves but in 2012 is there still a need for the big generalist digital marketing shows?
Is the industry ready to say goodbye to these shows that helped put digital on the map and usher in a new wave of more niche and focused shows that embrace the latest developments within digital marketing?
'Have You Seen' offers commissions for social recommendations
Traffic Junction has launched a new service that turns consumers into affiliate marketers through the use of social recommendations.
After signing up to Have You Seen, consumers can send unique links to their friends and family recommending products from a range of retailers.
It is compatible with email, Facebook, Twitter and Google+, and if the recipient buys a product through the link the original user is paid commission by the merchant.
Mobile sites and affiliate tracking: the stats
With consumer behaviour and shopping habits continually evolving, coupled with the increase in smartphone penetration, more and more consumers are accessing the internet through mobile devices.
This is something that we have been monitoring closely at Affiliate Window for the past 18 months. Back in December 2010 we saw traffic through mobile devices account for 2.4% of all network traffic and 1.7% of all sales.
Fast forward to March 2012 and these figures have grown considerably with 10% of traffic and 6.6% of sales coming through mobile devices.
Air New Zealand launches Share & Earn scheme
Air New Zealand has launched a Share & Earn scheme with digitalanimal, tied to the promotion of its 777-300 Premium Economy Spaceseat experience.
Those registered for the programme, which is being trialled in the UK, will receive £50 cash for every share that directly results in a Premium Economy booking for the airline up until 16 May 2012.
Luxury goods sales increase 96% in January across LinkShare network
Luxury goods sales through Rakuten LinkShare UK increased 96% in January 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.
Statistics from the affiliate network show that though average item value has dropped 14% year on year, total order value is up 7%.
Rakuten says that the increase shows that luxury shoppers are taking advantage of sophisticated publisher sites that help them browse hundreds of luxury brands.
Colorado's online use tax reporting law ruled unconstitutional
When Colorado politicians pushed an affiliate tax designed to bolster their state's revenue on the back of out-of-state retailers, one thing was certain: the effort would backfire.
After all, we've known for years that states which have tried to find a way to collect sales tax on out-of-state internet sales fail to raise revenue.
